1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing technique of managing a device that executes a job.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, when a device linked to an owner is used from an Internet service, user identification information and device identification information are stored and managed in association with each other, and an identified user is permitted to use an identified device. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-217335 has disclosed a method of storing and managing, in association with each other, requesting device identification information for specifying a service requesting device, user identification information for specifying a user, and providing device identification information for specifying a service providing device.
In the related art, however, even if an owner changes by, for example, transferring an owned service providing device to another person in a state in which the linkage between the owner and the service providing device is valid, this relationship is maintained. For example, when a printer linked to and managed by an original owner before transfer is used from a portal site, the original owner may unintentionally output data to the printer of a new owner.
To cancel this relationship, the linkage relationship needs to be canceled explicitly. However, this may be difficult after the device has already been transferred to another person, and inconvenience is highly likely to occur.